


White Sheet

by tinknevertalks



Series: Whatever Happened to Patricia Magnus? [8]
Category: Sanctuary (TV)
Genre: Gen, Pre-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Teslen, oxford era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:42:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25157197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinknevertalks/pseuds/tinknevertalks
Summary: The aftermath of Patricia's untimely demise.
Series: Whatever Happened to Patricia Magnus? [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1780288
Kudos: 1





	White Sheet

**Author's Note:**

> Teslen Appreciation Week!!! Favourite time of year (and it should've been easier this year timings wise but my brain don't work like that). Anyways, I'm still writing bits of this story and this one came out. Unbeta'd. Prompt: Teslen through history.
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

The dust settled, the aftermath so quiet after the sickening screams for flesh and bone. Mother Magnus, laid out on the floor as she was, looked almost peaceful, barring the four parallel talon swipes down her front and the gunshot to her skull. Helen wept openly as Father Magnus entered the room again, this time with a white sheet over one arm. Nikola wasn't sure what to do exactly, especially with James and John hovering over the body, and Nigel pouring generous glasses of something amber. He knew what his family would do, remember vividly, but the Magnus family weren't exactly religious (although neither was he), eschewing the formality of a Sunday morning service for rest and to care for their abnormals.

Silent, eyes shining, Doctor Magnus placed the sheet over the corpse of his dead wife. With stiff steps, he crossed the room, placing his hand on Helen's shoulder as he gazed at the portrait of his family. "Time to send your friends home," he whispered, much to Nikola's dismay.

"It's after two in the morning, Father. No-one will be available."

It was odd to Nikola, seeing Helen so small after being so tall and virtuous against her mother. She usually shone like sunshine during a summer shower, making even the most craggy stones shimmer, but today a decaying husk was taking her place. Before he knew what he was doing, Nikola joined Helen by her chair, offering a handkerchief. Her eyes were luminous in the candlelight; Nikola wanted so much to drown in them, but Nigel was now shoving a glass into her hands. "Drink up," he murmured.

"We must move the body," James said to Doctor Magnus. He merely nodded. Nikola watched as James, John, and Nigel made themselves busy, trying vainly not to look at--

"Father, would you prefer I go with Mother?"

He shook his head. "No, sweetheart. This is my last duty to her. You stay here…" His voice faded to the background as Nikola happened to glance at the sheet. Hiding the body. Unbidden, he watches through his mind's eye as he dealt the wounding blow, his talons rending her dress and flesh. The world started spinning. It wouldn't stop. The image kept flashing up. Helen screaming, Patricia snarling, and--

"Nikola!"

The world went black.

\--

"-- you sure you left her there?"

"Of course I'm bloody sure. We all left her there--"

"A body doesn't just rise and walk away!"

Ah, his compatriots. Arguing in whispers. They were doing that more and more lately.

"We'll have to tell them."

"Misplaced something?" Nikola asked from his place on the sofa. As one the three turned to him. John sneered, Nigel smirked, James… James just looked at him, as if he was a puzzle. Maybe he was.

"Better after your fainting fit?" John asked, his tone perfunctory.

Nikola waved the question away. "More important, the… She…?"

James nodded. "Mrs Magnus is no longer in the morgue."

Nikola dug his fingers into the cushions of the sofa, willing himself to stay upright. "Has anyone told Helen, or her father?" Why did it feel like his knees were made of jelly?

The three looked at each other and Nikola wished for the days when the worst they had to figure out was how to sneak wine past Matron.

"I'll have a quick look, see where Helen and the good doctor are," said Nigel, before melting out of sight. At least with Nigel going Nikola knew he'd be back. Doctor Magnus had the ability to keep anyone (James) talking for hours, and John was much more interested in Helen's petticoats than her happiness. Taking a deep breath, Nikola waited for his knees to solidify and his friend to return.


End file.
